On the first night in her new home, a strange sound wakes Lexus in the middle of the night.
She stares uneasily out the sliding glass door into the foggy bayou that surrounds her home. Seeing nothing, she smiles to herself. “I didn’t think living alone would be quite this spooky.” She actually misses sharing a room with her little brother Taye.
“You’re worrying over nothing Lex,” She chastises herself before snuggling under her covers. Lexus falls asleep again thinking that everything is OK.
It turns out that she was right to be worried. Camouflaged by the foggy dark swamp stands a figure, silently watching Lexus’ home.
Lexus doesn’t even stir as the figure creeps slowly at the edge of the swamp to the back of her home.
The thief reaches Lexus’ back steps where a loose board creaks loudly and startles Lexus out of her sleep.
Lexus pauses as she begins to leave her bed. She remains silent, straining her ears trying to make sure she actually heard her back stairs creak.
Lexus jumps up and her heart pounds as her back door slides open and the thief, startled to see Lexus awake, runs in a blur right past her and out her front door.
“Oh my God!” Lexus says, pulling out her cell phone with shaky, trembling hands.
Lexus’ first instinct is to call Notzo, but she can imagine the panic it would cause her mother. They would probably force her to move back in. Instead she dials 911.
The dispatcher takes down Lexus’ information and promises her that a cop will be sent out immediately.
Lexus can hear a car pull off outside, but doesn’t dare look out her front door.
The robber doesn’t even look back as he makes his quick get-a-way.
Lexus practically jumps out of her skin when the cop pounds on her door and shouts, “It’s the police!”
“Come in,” Lexus says in a panicked voice.
“Come in,” Lexus says in a panicked voice.
The cop gives Lexus a reassuring smile before quickly taking a look around her home. He returns to her, “Was anything taken ma’am?”
“No officer, I just moved in…I…I don’t have anything yet,” Lexus says struggling to keep her voice under control.
“Well that’s the good news,” The cop says. “The bad news is… he got away.”
Lexus is far from happy to hear the bad news and it shows all over her face.
Lexus is far from happy to hear the bad news and it shows all over her face.
“Rest assured, cowardly scoundrels like this rarely return to the same home twice. I’ll personally make sure that we have officers include this area in their routine patrol tonight.”
Lexus is happy to hear that the cops will be patrolling the area, but is not happy to see the cop leave. She begins to feel panicked all over again.
Lexus is close to exhaustion, but is too afraid to even attempt sleep. She would love to call someone to come over to keep her company, but it’s three in the morning and she doesn’t want to disturb anyone. She busies herself with housework.
Lexus’ washer is located on her back porch, where the thief entered. Her eyes quickly scan the swamp where even the wind is still. The only sound that she can hear are the cicadas in the trees singing their love songs.
Lexus feels a bit better when she steps out on the porch and hears a police radio. She is relieved to know that the cop kept his word.
Traces of the sun begin peaking through the Cypress. Lexus welcomes the light, but is still just as afraid as she was earlier.
No comments:
Post a Comment